


Before I Go

by zarrati



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M, Fluff, harvest festival fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 18:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5385932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarrati/pseuds/zarrati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leslie’s eyes softened, and her lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly. She reached forward and grasped his hand, their fingers threading together in a way that made him never want to let go.<br/>“Just don’t forget about us, okay?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before I Go

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr

Ben and Leslie walked away from Li’l Sebastian’s pen, Leslie still gushing over the beloved Pawnee staple. 

“I still can’t believe he’s here. Isn’t he just the best, Ben?”

She looked over at him with such a wide, expectant smile, he couldn’t help but return it.

“Yeah, he’s totally amazing.”

If his response sounded too forced or insincere, she didn’t seem to notice. She was still riding her Li’l Sebastian high. 

She stopped suddenly, holding a hand out in front of him and her fingers just grazed the fabric of his shirt over his stomach.

“You know what, I’m starving. You wanna grab something to eat?”

He honestly wasn’t all that hungry, but he wasn’t about to turn down spending more time with her. He had no idea how much longer he’d be staying in Pawnee now that the Harvest Festival was a success, and he was going to exploit every single opportunity he could. 

“Uh, yeah, totally. I mean, can’t come to a Harvest Festival and not enjoy the food.”

“Right? If you don’t take advantage and eat every last sugary, savory, deep fried treat you can, what’s the point?”

“Couldn’t agree more.”

Another lie, but he’d tell a thousand harmless lies if it made her keep smiling at him like that.

“Awesome. Now, the bigger question is do I get chili cheese fries or funnel cake? I want them both but I know I’ll literally explode if I do.”

“Well, we could always get one of each and split them. I’ve seen you wolf down stacks of JJ’s waffles, so I know you at least have room for half of each.” He grinned and bumped her with his shoulder.

“You know me too well, Ben Wyatt. And you’re a genius. That sounds like the most perfect idea in the world. I’ll go get the fries and you get the funnel cake and we can meet over at the tables.” 

She grabbed his arm and looked up at him, waiting for a reply. He looked down at where her fingers touched his skin at the hem of the sleeve, and he swore he could feel his nerves burning.

“Uhm, yeah,” he said with a swallow. “Th-that sounds like a plan.”

She smiled again and squeezed his arm before letting go and walking away.

“Wait,” he called out, and she turned. “Did you want powdered sugar on top?”

She put a hand on her hip and looked at him as though he was the stupidest person alive for even asking.

“What do you think?”

Ben grinned and held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, I’ll admit that was a pretty dumb question. One funnel cake with  _extra_  powdered sugar coming right up.”

After waiting in line behind several other Pawneeans who felt the need to have funnel cake for lunch, Ben finally got his order and made his way back to Leslie.

She had already found them a table, and he could tell she was resisting every urge to start eating without him.

“Here we go, Madam,” he said as he placed the plate on the table. “Your deep fried dough smothered in more sugar than should be consumed by a single human in one year.”

She reached for it eagerly, her thanks evident in her eyes, and ripped away a large chunk.

He didn’t care that he had to shake off most of the sugar from the dough for it to even be slightly palatable.

Leslie took another few bites of fries and funnel cake before sighing. “I’m gonna miss you when you go,” she said out of nowhere, looking over at him.

Ben froze for a second, shocked by her admission, but a thrill ran through him along with a pang of regret.

“Me, too.” He looked up at her through his lashes. “But you know, we can always stay in touch. I mean, if you want to. And I’ll still be around, sort of. There’s gotta be another town nearby that’s gonna bankrupt itself soon.” He tried to grin but it didn’t quite meet his eyes.

She grabbed another fry and raised her eyebrows. “Mr. ‘I don’t keep friends’ is willing to stay in touch with little, old me? I thought once you left a town, you moved on.”

Ben shrugged and played with the powdered sugar coating his plate. “Maybe it’s just because I haven’t met the right people who were worth keeping in touch with until now.”

He held her gaze for a little longer than necessary. Leslie stopped chewing and tilted her head, studying him for a moment before looking back down at her food. 

If he didn’t know any better, he’d have sworn he saw her cheeks redden.

“Well then, I guess I can say that I’m very flattered. Of course we can keep in touch. I’d like that very much. But I should warn you, by agreeing to be my long distance friend you are agreeing to spontaneous phone calls, the occasional hand written letter, and at least one gift mailed to you every birthday.”

Ben feigned a sigh of annoyance. “I  _guess_  I can agree to that.”

“Well, good then,” she laughed. “We have an arrangement. And next time you’re within 30 miles, you have to promise to come visit.”

“I promise. I mean, you kinda got me hooked on JJ’s, so I have to come back for that.”

“Oh, I see how it is. You love JJ more than me.”

He smiled at her, but deep down, he wasn’t sure if he could ever love anything as much as he felt he could love her. If only he had the chance.

“Guilty. That man knows how to cook. What can I say?”

“You don’t have to say anything. I can’t even blame you.”

She laughed and ate another fry, a stray bit of cheese sticking just next to her mouth.

He wasn’t sure what possessed him to do it, but without thinking, Ben reached forward and swiped his thumb across the side of her lip. It broke every rule he had set for himself, but in that moment, he didn’t care. He didn’t care about not getting close to people, about not getting involved. All he cared about was touching her, wishing more than anything that his lips could replace his finger.

“Thanks,” she said softly as he moved his hand away, puling off another piece of funnel cake just to give himself something to do with his hands.

“Uh, yeah, no problem.”

“Do you know where you’re going next?” she finally asked after a long, awkward silence.

“No, not yet. I’m thinking I’ll get my new assignment sometime in the next week or so. It’s only been one day, but I know the festival is a hit. You don’t need me around anymore.”

“Don’t say that,” she told him sternly. “What did I tell you earlier? You are just as much responsible for this as I am. We wouldn’t have any of this if it wasn’t for you. Pawnee would be incredibly lucky if we got to keep you.”

He couldn’t stop the smile he gave her if he tried. “Yeah?”

She nodded. “Definitely.”

Ben turned and took in everything around him–the stands, the rides, the people out enjoying themselves–all of it. “I’d be lucky if I got to stay here, too. I didn’t get it at first, but Pawnee really is something special.”

Leslie’s eyes softened, and her lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly. She reached forward and grasped his hand, their fingers threading together in a way that made him never want to let go.

“Just don’t forget about us, okay?”

He nodded. 

He couldn’t even if he  _wanted_  to. Pawnee–and Leslie– were a part of him now. The better part, the part that made him have faith in humanity again, faith in himself.  

But as special as Pawnee was, it had nothing on the woman sitting right in front of him. He just hoped he could work up the courage to tell her that at least once before he goes.

**Author's Note:**

> On Tumblr @ Benwyattforcongress


End file.
